Why dialysis transportation is different from other NEMT
Most medical transportation needs are occasional — a specialist appointment once a month, a follow-up after surgery, a lab visit. Dialysis is not occasional. It runs three times per week, typically Monday-Wednesday-Friday or Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday, on a fixed schedule that your dialysis center assigns. Missing a session because a driver didn't show up is not an inconvenience. It is a medical emergency in waiting.
Dialysis transportation also places unique demands on the driver and the schedule:
- Precision timing. Dialysis centers run chair assignments on tight rotations. A late arrival pushes your session back, shortens your treatment time, or knocks you off the chair entirely. Arriving even 20 minutes late matters.
- Post-treatment awareness. After a three-to-four-hour dialysis session, patients are often lightheaded, fatigued, and — particularly after early treatments — hypotensive. The return trip requires a driver who understands this and helps the patient to the vehicle without rushing.
- Stakes of missed sessions. Unlike a missed dermatology appointment, a missed dialysis treatment results in dangerous fluid and toxin buildup. Two missed sessions in a week may require hospitalization. Transportation is not a convenience — it is part of the treatment.
- Long-term continuity. A dialysis patient may need transportation for years, not weeks. That means the driver relationship matters, and a provider who cancels frequently or rotates unfamiliar drivers creates real medical risk.
What DachiPlus provides for dialysis patients
Our dialysis transportation program is designed around the specific requirements of thrice-weekly treatment schedules:
- Standing orders. We work with Medicaid via MAS to establish a standing order for your recurring schedule — meaning the trips are pre-authorized for weeks or months at a time, and you don't need to call before every single session.
- Same-driver continuity when possible. We assign consistent drivers to recurring dialysis routes. Your driver learns your pickup spot, your timing needs, and your preferences — reducing the friction of every trip.
- On-time pickup, every time. Our dialysis drivers understand that "on time" means having you at the center door at least a few minutes before your slot — not at the center parking lot.
- Post-treatment care awareness. Return-trip drivers are briefed on post-session fatigue and hypotension. We don't rush patients back to the vehicle. If you need a few minutes to stabilize, we wait.
- Coordination with dialysis centers. We coordinate directly with centers when treatment times shift, when sessions run long, or when the return pickup window needs adjustment. You shouldn't have to be the messenger between your center and your driver.
- DaVita and Fresenius familiarity. DachiPlus serves patients at multiple DaVita and Fresenius locations across Long Island. Our drivers know the facilities, the parking situations, and the typical treatment windows.
Setting up a standing order through Medicaid
If you are a New York Medicaid member, your dialysis transportation is covered at no cost to you — but you need to set it up correctly through MAS (Medical Answering Services), the state-contracted broker that manages Medicaid transportation across Long Island.
What is a standing order?
A standing order is a pre-authorization from MAS for recurring transportation. Instead of calling MAS before every dialysis session, you call once to establish the standing order, and your trips are automatically approved for the duration — typically 3 or 6 months, after which you renew.
How to set up your dialysis standing order through MAS
- Call MAS at 1-844-666-6270. Their general hours are Monday–Friday, 7 AM–6 PM.
- Tell MAS you need a standing order for recurring dialysis transportation. Have your Medicaid CIN (client identification number), your dialysis center's name and address, and your scheduled treatment days and times ready.
- Request DachiPlus as your assigned transportation provider. Say: "I would like DachiPlus assigned to my standing order." We serve all of Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
- Confirm the standing order is active and get a confirmation number. Write it down.
- Your dialysis center can also help set up or update the standing order — ask your social worker or care coordinator.
Note: The standard 72-hour advance booking rule applies to your first trip. The standing order covers subsequent sessions without requiring you to call again.
For the complete MAS guide, see our step-by-step Medicaid transportation guide.
Private pay dialysis transportation
If you are not covered by Medicaid — or if you want to use DachiPlus directly without going through MAS — private pay dialysis transportation is straightforward to set up.
We offer recurring schedule billing for dialysis patients, so you're not re-booking each trip individually. Call us at (516) 754-7777 to:
- Describe your dialysis schedule (days, pickup address, center address, treatment start time)
- Get a rate for your recurring route
- Set up automatic scheduling so your trips are confirmed in advance
We accept credit and debit cards, HSA/FSA accounts, and Medicare Advantage transportation benefits. If you have long-term care insurance, call us to verify whether medical transportation is a covered benefit under your policy.
What dialysis patients should know about transportation
A few practical points that experienced dialysis patients and their families often wish they had known earlier:
- Why arriving on time matters so much. Dialysis centers assign chair times in coordinated blocks. When one patient arrives late, it can affect the entire shift. Arriving late also means you may receive a shorter treatment, which directly affects your clearance numbers (Kt/V) and overall outcomes.
- What happens if you miss a session. One missed session causes a two-day toxin and fluid buildup. Your potassium rises. Your blood pressure spikes. You feel worse than you would on a normal treatment day, and your next session will be harder on your system. Two consecutive missed sessions may prompt your nephrologist to send you to the ER. Transportation is not optional.
- Return trip timing. Treatment sessions run 3 to 4.5 hours depending on your prescription. The return pickup usually occurs at a scheduled time after your expected session end — your dialysis center coordinates the return window. Alert us immediately if your session ends earlier or later than expected so we can adjust.
- What to tell your driver. If you are feeling especially lightheaded or unwell after treatment, tell the driver. They are trained to help you to the vehicle safely and to drive smoothly. If you feel unable to safely enter the vehicle, notify the dialysis center before trying to leave.
Dialysis centers we serve on Long Island
DachiPlus provides transportation to and from dialysis centers throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties, including DaVita and Fresenius locations. We serve patients at facilities across both counties regardless of which specific center your nephrologist has assigned you to.
Nassau County dialysis centers we regularly serve include those in Mineola, Great Neck, Hempstead, Rockville Centre, Valley Stream, and Hicksville. In Suffolk County, we cover Huntington, Commack, Hauppauge, Bay Shore, Patchogue, and Riverhead, among others.
If you are unsure whether we serve your specific center, call us at (516) 754-7777 and we'll confirm.
Set up your standing order
Get your dialysis transportation scheduled today.
Medicaid members: call MAS and request DachiPlus by name. Private pay and insurance: call us directly and we'll set up your recurring schedule.